Moorpark man arrested in attempted bank robbery

A 27-year-old Moorpark man was arrested on suspicion of felony attempted robbery Wednesday after reportedly walking into a bank and saying he planned to rob it, authorities said.

Alec Eskander was in jail Wednesday night with bail set at $100,000.

Deputies responded to a call about a possible robbery about 1 p.m. at a Wells Fargo branch, 515 W. Los Angeles Ave. in Moorpark, said Ventura County sheriff’s Sgt. Eric Buschow.

Authorities were alerted to the incident by the bank manager, who called a Moorpark detective with whom he had dealt previously, Buschow said. The manager told the detective that a man had announced he planned to rob the bank as he waited to go to the teller.

The detective asked the manager to see whether the man would get on the phone with him, Buschow said. Eskander apparently agreed, and the detective persuaded him to leave the bank peacefully.

Meanwhile, deputies had responded and surrounded the bank. Outside, Eskander was taken into custody, Buschow said.